This invention relates to a method for producing freeze and thaw stabilized potato salad comprising an oil emulsion type food dressing from which oil does not separate following freezing and thawing of said potato salad.
It has not been practicable heretofore to freeze and store potato salad made with an oil emulsion type food dressing until time for consumption of the potato salad arrives because mayonnaise and other types of oil emulsion type salad dressings containing appreciable amounts of oil are notoriously susceptible to breaking of their emulsions upon freezing with the resultant separation of oil in the potato salad, producing an undesirable appearance and a concentrated oily effect on the senses of taste and mouth feel which have such an important effect on the acceptability of potato salad. Traditionally potato salad has required refrigeration to prevent microbiological spoilage, but its shelf life is quite limited under such conditions because of gradual development of microbial contamination and oxidative deterioration even under refrigeration conditions.
The Armed Forces especially would like to be able to prepare potato salad in quantity a long time ahead of consumption so that it could be shipped long distances and fed to the troops whenever and wherever desired without its having to be freshly prepared shortly before being consumed in order to minimize the chances of sickness from potato salad being permitted to develop a high bacterial contamination. The present invention makes this possible not only for the Armed Forces, but for the civilian market as well.
It is an object of the invention to provide a process for producing frozen potato salad comprising an oil emulsion type food dressing which upon being thawed reverts to substantially the condition in which it existed prior to being frozen and, therefore, without any separation of oil in the potato salad from breakdown of the dressing.
It is also an object of the invention to stabilize frozen potato salad comprising an oil emulsion type food dressing against breakdown of the dressing therein and resultant separation of oil in the potato salad upon thawing thereof.
Other objects and advantages of our invention will become apparent in the course of the following description of the practice of the invention.
It is to be understood that the term "oil emulsion type food dressing" includes any known commercial mayonnaise product, as well as other food dressings of the emulsion type having an oil content of from about 35% to about 80% or even higher in some cases. Such food dressings are described in Federal Specification EE-M-131F, dated June 27, 1975, entitled "Mayonnaise And Salad Dressing", which is incorporated herein by reference.
It is also to be understood that potato salad is a mixture of cubed or sliced or otherwise subdivided potatoes which have been cooked under moist conditions by boiling in water or steaming, the cooked, subdivided potato pieces being tossed in or with a food dressing, as defined above, and sometimes having added to the resulting mixture of cooked potato pieces and food dressing various modifying ingredients, primarily for flavor purposes, such as chives, chopped celery, chopped onions, subdivided pimentos, subdivided green peppers, subdivided hard cooked eggs, relishes and various types of seasonings and condiments.
All percentages stated in the specification and claims are to be understood as percentages by weight unless otherwise indicated.